Zimbabwe

Manifesto calling on the Labour government to break off the talks with Ian Smith opened in May 1966 and ask the UN to impose mandatory sanctions against Rhodesia. It was circulated to local Labour parties, but received a poor response.

Leaflet produced for the AAM’s campaign to pressure the Labour government to impose stronger measures against the illegal Smith regime immediately after UDI. It showed how South Africa and Portugal were helping Rhodesia hold out against sanctions. The leaflet argued that the alliance of the three white minority regimes would lead to race war in Southern Africa.

Chris Child became involved in the campaign to make Barclays Bank withdraw from South Africa when he was a student at Durham University. He was an Anti-Apartheid Movement staff membe from 1976 to 1982, initially as Trade Union Secretary and later as Deputy Executive Secretary. He was responsible for the AAM’s work with trade unions, the disinvestment campaign, Namibia and liaising with local AA groups.

In this clip Chris Child describes how the AAM applied to have Bishop Muzorewa tried for treason for signing death warrants in Zimbabwe, during Muzorewa’s visit to the UK.

On 26 June 1966 a crowd estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000 people attended a rally in Trafalgar Square calling for majority rule in Rhodesia. This leaflet urged students to join the demonstration. At a press conference before the march the AAM released a Declaration on Rhodesia signed by 41 ‘eminent people’, including writers Brigid Brophy and Iris Murdoch, pianist Fou T’Song, naturalist Peter Scott and academics and trade unionists.

On 26 June 1966 a crowd estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000 people joined a rally in Trafalgar Square to hear speakers, including British Council of Churches representative Rev. Bill Sargent, speaking on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Judy Todd, call for majority rule in Rhodesia. At a press conference before the march the AAM released a Declaration on Rhodesia signed by 41 ‘eminent people’, including writers Brigid Brophy and Iris Murdoch, pianist Fou T’Song, naturalist Peter Scott, and academics and trade unionists.

Letter from the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, supporting the AAM demonstration calling for majority rule in Rhodesia held in June 1966. The AAM worked closely with the governments of countries in the non-aligned movement, such as India.

In June 1966, Thames Valley AA Group organised a motorcade from Slough to Reading to publicise the AAM’s campaign for no independence before majority rule in Rhodesia. The AAM asked the Labour government to support UN mandatory sanctions against Rhodesia and South Africa. The ‘Rhodesia Month’ culminated in a march through central London and rally in Trafalgar Square on 26 June.

In 1967–68 the AAM campaigned against the ‘unholy alliance’ of South Africa, Portugal and Rhodesia. It supported the attempt by groups of ANC guerrillas to infiltrate South Africa via Rhodesia in alliance with the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), and the guerrilla struggle of FRELIMO in Mozambique. It called for an end to British military support and investment in the white minority regimes.

Postcard circulated to local anti-apartheid committees and student groups in November 1966 and August 1967. Local groups collected signatures to the postcard on high streets and in student unions and thousands were sent to the House of Commons.

In October 1968 British Prime Minister Harold Wilson met Ian Smith on board HMS Fearless to put new proposals for a settlement in Rhodesia which fell far short of ‘no independence before majority rule’ (NIBMAR). The negotiations broke down but the British government did not withdraw the Fearless plan. At the Commonwealth conference in London in January 1969 the AAM held a vigil calling for NIBMAR.

Leaflet advertising a march organised by the Zimbabwe Solidarity Action Committee on 12 January 1969. Demonstrators, mostly students and young people, tried to occupy Rhodesia House but were driven back by mounted police. Marchers then moved on to South Africa House, where only one policeman was stationed at the side entrance, and smashed the windows looking onto Trafalgar Square. Before the march, a group of writers had already infiltrated Rhodesia House and two climbers had scaled its flagpole to replace the flag of the illegal regime with the Union Jack.

This petition calling for no independence for Rhodesia before majority rule was launched at an AAM meeting addressed by Judy Todd at the Labour Party conference in October 1971. It was part of the AAM’s campaign for the rejection of the Conservative government’s 1971 proposals for a settlement with the illegal Smith regime. The petition was widely circulated and reprinted in the Guardian newspaper. It was signed by 80,000 people and presented to the British Prime Minister on 21 March.

Poster publicising an AAM conference held on 4 July 1971. The main issues discussed at the conference were the proposed settlement on Rhodesia and action against British firms with investments in South Africa. One of the speakers was Caroline Hunter from the US Polaroid Revolutionary Workers Movement. Polaroid supplied photographic equipment used to produce passbooks for black South Africans. After a long campaign by its largely black US workforce, Polaroid pulled out of South Africa in 1977.

In November 1971 Conservative Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home agreed proposals for a settlement in Rhodesia with the Smith regime that fell far short of majority rule. This leaflet asked AAM supporters to write to him telling him there was no basis for an agreement and that sanctions against the illegal Rhodesian regime should be tightened.

Leaflet produced by the Rhodesia Emergency Campaign Committee (RECC) analysing the settlement proposals agreed by Conservative Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home and Ian Smith and published as a White Paper on 25 November 1971. RECC was a broad coalition of 45 organisations, set up at a meeting convened by the AAM in December 1971 and chaired by Methodist minister Colin Morris and New Left academic Stuart Hall. The AAM estimated that over half a million campaign leaflets, stickers, posters and badges were distributed over the next few months.

po020. ‘I am delighted to announce that black Rhodesians are completely sold out’

In November 1971 Conservative Foreign Secretary Lord Home published proposals for a settlement agreed with Ian Smith. The proposals fell far short of majority rule, but included a provision that they must be acceptable to the African majority. The British government sent a commission headed by Lord Pearce to test African opinion, which overwhelmingly rejected the settlement. This poster was produced for the AAM’s campaign against the sell-out.

Leaflet publicising a demonstration on 13 February 1972 against the Conservative government’s proposals for a settlement with Ian Smith. The demonstration was organised by the Rhodesia Emergency Campaign Committee (RECC), an umbrella group set up to mobilise opposition to the proposals in Britain. The AAM estimated that over half a million campaign leaflets, stickers, posters and badges were distributed over the next few months.

Poster publicising an AAM demonstration on 13 February 1972 against the Conservative government’s proposals for a settlement on Rhodesia. The proposals fell far short of majority rule, but included a provision that they must be acceptable to the African majority. The British government sent a commission to test African opinion, which overwhelmingly rejected the settlement. The main speaker at the demonstration was Bishop Abel Muzorewa, President of the African National Council, which led the opposition to the proposals inside Zimbabwe. The Rhodesia Emergency Campaign Committee was a coalition of groups set up by the AAM.

Rally in Trafalgar Square calling for No Independence Before Majority Rule (NIBMAR) in Zimbabwe on 13 February 1972. Around 15,000 people marched from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square to protest against the British government’s agreement with the Smith regime. Bishop Abel Muzorewa said the settlement was not acceptable to the majority in Rhodesia. Other speakers at the rally were the leader of the Clyde shipbuilders work-in Jimmy Reid, black activist Althea Jones and Labour MP Michael Foot.

Rally in Trafalgar Square calling for No Independence Before Majority Rule (NIBMAR) in Zimbabwe on 13 February 1972. Around 15,000 people marched from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square to protest against the British government’s agreement with the Smith regime. Bishop Abel Muzorewa said the settlement was not acceptable to the majority in Rhodesia. Other speakers at the rally were the leader of the Clyde shipbuilders work-in Jimmy Reid, black activist Althea Jones and Labour MP Michael Foot.